How Grazing Affects Your Digestive Function There’s been lots of debate about whether certain meal patterns are better for weight loss than others. While some argue that sticking to three squares a day without snacking is the best way to control intake and prevent over eating, others claim that having five to six "mini meals" is a better way to go to keep one’s metabolism running and hunger levels at bay. The latter approach, sometimes called "grazing," has clearly caught on with an increasing number of Americans. In fact, national survey data suggest that a grazing type eating pattern has become the new norm, with about two thirds of American adults snacking two or more times daily in addition to meals. Left out of the conversation about eating patterns, however, is the question of how grazing can affect digestive function. Considered with this lens, there are some risks to grazing at least for certain people under certain circumstances that merit consideration. Grazing may increase risk for